Read this before you plan your budget. The cost guide below is a rough guide only. It is based on Census data for this suburb, scaled to today's state rents. Each property is different. It does not tell you the price of any room, studio or apartment.
Get the real number for your postcode. Use the official rent data before you agree to anything: Rent Check — NSW Government. This is real data from your state government. It is free. It shows the rent for the exact postcode you enter.
Studying in Newcastle, NSW
73 courses are taught here by 4 registered schools, across postcode 2300.
Rent here was above the NSW middle at the last Census. Expect to share. Look one or two stations further out for cheaper rooms.
Census 2021 middle rent for Newcastle was $490 a week. NSW rents have risen about 55% since then, so expect about $760 a week now. Check the exact postcode before you sign anything.
The scale compares this suburb with its state: $ cheaper, $$ medium, $$$ expensive, $$$$ most expensive. Checked ABS Census 2021, scaled to the NSW median (April 2025).
Living in Newcastle
People: 3,852 residents, median age 41, 19.6% born overseas, 11.6% speak a language other than English at home.
Languages spoken: Spanish 0.9%, Mandarin 0.8%, Arabic 0.6%, German 0.5%, Hindi 0.5%.
Where people were born: England 3.2%, New Zealand 1.7%, India 1.2%, USA 1%, Philippines 0.7%.
Income: median household income $1,943 a week; 1.7 people per home on average.
Where residents work: Health Care and Social Assistance, Professional Scientific and Technical Services, Education and Training, Public Administration and Safety.
Source: ABS Census 2021, CC BY 4.0.
10 campuses in Newcastle. Tap a pin for the provider.
Getting around Newcastle: Nearest station is Stockton Wharf (ferry Stkn), 281 m away. Also Queens Wharf (ferry Stkn), 688 m away, Crown Street Light Rail (light rail NLR), 815 m away, Queens Wharf Light Rail (light rail NLR), 815 m away. Buses within 800 m: 136, 55N (closest stop: Stockton Wharf, 281 m). Plan a trip (Transport NSW trip planner).
Transport data: Transport for NSW Open Data (CC BY 4.0). Routes change; check the trip planner before you rely on one.
Weekly budget in Newcastle
About $535–$825 a week for one student sharing a house. The visa living-cost benchmark is $571 a week ($29,710 a year).
| Room in a shared house | $305–$455 | Whole homes here rent for about $760 a week; a room is usually 40–60% of that. |
|---|---|---|
| Public transport | $50 | Opal adult fares, capped at $50 a week. International students are not eligible for concession fares unless on an eligible scholarship. |
| Groceries and eating | $110–$170 | |
| Phone and internet | $15–$30 | |
| Power, gas and water (your share) | $15–$30 | |
| Everything else (clothes, going out, medicine) | $40–$90 |
Rent: ABS Census 2021 for Newcastle, scaled to the current NSW median. Transport: state operator fares. Other lines are typical ranges for a single student; your own spending will differ. Tuition and health cover (OSHC) are extra. Full cost guide.
Newcastle is in the Newcastle area
179,000 people across 13+ suburbs. Median rent $400 a week. Languages: Mandarin 1%, Macedonian 0.6%, Arabic 0.5%, Greek 0.4%.
Nearby suburbs in the same area: Wallsend, Merewether, New Lambton, Mayfield, Fletcher, Maryland, Adamstown, Elermore Vale, Adamstown Heights, Lambton, Waratah, Hamilton.
What this place is like to study in
Newcastle is a small teaching location. There are 4 schools here. Your choice of courses is limited. Most students travel to a larger centre for other courses. Course fees here are about 33% above the national average. This is because of the type of schools here, not the location.
We calculate this description from the CRICOS register: the number of schools, the course levels and the registered fees. It describes study only. To learn about rent, transport and daily life here, talk to current students and ask your school.
What level people study here
| Level | Courses | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Postgraduate | 73 | 51% |
| Undergraduate | 33 | 23% |
| Other | 23 | 16% |
| Vocational (VET) | 12 | 8% |
| School | 2 | 1% |
Finding somewhere to live
Most international students choose one of four options. From cheapest to most expensive:
- A room in a shared house. The most common choice. In expensive cities it is often the only affordable option.
- Student accommodation. Buildings made for students, usually near campus.
- Homestay. You live with an Australian family.
- Your own studio or one-bedroom apartment. The most expensive option.
Two things to know before you sign a lease. First, the bond is usually four weeks of rent. A government office holds it, not the landlord. You get it back at the end. If someone asks you to pay a bond in cash directly to them, this is a warning sign.
Second, you usually cannot inspect a property from overseas. Book two to four weeks of temporary accommodation first. Then look at properties in person. This avoids the most common and most expensive mistake students make.
Your school's accommodation office is the best place to start. It is free. They know the area and often keep a list of checked properties.
Every course taught here
- A$19,3559 mo · A$25,162/yr
- A$22,0001 yr · A$22,000/yr
- A$22,0954 mo
- A$22,2909 mo · A$28,977/yr
- A$22,5009 mo · A$29,250/yr
- A$22,8809 mo · A$29,744/yr
- A$23,1659 mo · A$30,115/yr
- A$23,1659 mo · A$31,699/yr
- A$23,2109 mo · A$30,173/yr
- A$23,7609 mo · A$30,888/yr
- A$23,7609 mo · A$30,888/yr
- A$38,5631 yr · A$38,563/yr
- A$40,3901 yr · A$40,390/yr
- A$41,2101 yr · A$41,210/yr
- A$42,0201 yr · A$42,020/yr
- A$45,3501 yr · A$45,350/yr
- A$45,9201 yr · A$45,920/yr
- A$47,5201 yr · A$47,520/yr
- A$51,8231 yr · A$51,823/yr
- A$59,0331.4 yr · A$42,635/yr
- A$69,1591.4 yr · A$49,948/yr
- A$69,9451.4 yr · A$50,516/yr
- A$70,2041.4 yr · A$50,703/yr
- A$70,7381.4 yr · A$51,089/yr
- A$70,8901.4 yr · A$51,198/yr
- A$72,4681.4 yr · A$52,338/yr
- A$79,0552 yr · A$39,528/yr
- A$79,0552 yr · A$39,528/yr
- A$79,0552 yr · A$39,528/yr
- A$79,0552 yr · A$39,528/yr
- A$79,0552 yr · A$39,528/yr
- A$79,0552 yr · A$39,528/yr
- A$79,0552 yr · A$39,528/yr
- A$79,0552 yr · A$39,528/yr
- A$79,0552 yr · A$39,528/yr
- A$79,0552 yr · A$39,528/yr
- A$79,0552 yr · A$39,528/yr
- A$79,0554 yr · A$19,764/yr
- A$79,0552 yr · A$39,528/yr
- A$84,8602 yr · A$42,430/yr
- A$88,7762 yr · A$44,388/yr
- A$90,5902 yr · A$45,295/yr
- A$91,3792 yr · A$45,690/yr
- A$91,3792 yr · A$45,690/yr
- A$91,5642 yr · A$45,782/yr
- A$91,5642 yr · A$45,782/yr
- A$93,5422 yr · A$46,771/yr
- A$93,5422 yr · A$46,771/yr
- A$93,6142 yr · A$46,807/yr
- A$94,2492 yr · A$47,125/yr